Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, March 22, 2006

DaSilva, who lives on Main Street, said he wants to find party candidates who led the city through the 1990s.
"What we saw in the last election was young and hungry candidates," DaSilva said. "We need to build on that. The hardest thing is to build interest in politics."
DaSilva said every civic organization faces the same difficulty: finding new members.
Gallo said he was happy to help DaSilva, if asked, but he said the party is in need of new ideas. Gallo chaired the party from 2002 to 2006.
DaSilva has his work cut out for him, former Town Committee chairman
Joe Walkovich
said. Walkovich chaired the party from 1996 to 2002.
"DaSilva has to find a voice of opposition. The party has to offer citizens an alternative path," Walkovich said.
Walkovich said the
Bill Clinton
strategy for the mid-term elections was to offer voters a "PAPA" - a positive alternative plan of action.
Walkovich said the
Democratic party
must find an alternative plan to compete against the administration of Danbury Mayor
Mark Boughton
.
In the 2005 city election, Boughton asked Democratic Party candidate
Dean Esposito
to outline such a plan. Esposito had a difficult time answering the question.
"My concern for the party is, Joe was the campaign chair for Dean," Walkovich said. "He needs a more coherent plan."
Former Town Committee chairman
Larry Riefberg
said the party has to show the public it has quality leaders with a proven record. He mentioned
Common Council
member
Tom Saadi
and state Rep.
Robert Godfrey
and state Rep.
Lewis Wallace
.
"We have quality people representing our party," said Riefberg, who chaired the party from 1990 to 1996. "We have to make our case to the public."
DaSilva, 36, is a 1988 graduate of
Danbury High School
, a 1993 graduate of
Western Connecticut State University
with a degree in history, followed by a masters in history in 1997. DaSilva, who practices law with the firm of Depanfilis & Vallerie, earned his juris doctorate at Quinnipiac School of Law in 1999.
The DaSilva family has been involved in city government for more than 30 years.
DaSilva's father, Joe DaSilva, filled a vacancy on the Common Council in the 1970s and was elected to the council from 1979 to 1996. He served as council president from 1989 to 1996. He worked in the administration of Mayor
Gene Eriquez
as chief of staff.
Linda DaSilva
, Joe DaSilva Jr.'s mother, is a member of the Town Committee.